Striker operator for musical instruments



Oct. 18, 1949. E. DEZSO STRIKER OPERATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Ndv. 21. 1947 Attorneys- Och-l8, 1949. 35250STR'IKER OPERATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed NOV. 21,1947 FIG. 6

Y INVENTOR. EMERY DEZSO Atto rney-S Patented Oct. 18, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE STRIKER OPERATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 7 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments, and more particularly toa striker operator for percussion instruments.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved operator for astriker or beater such as used with drums or the like so that thestriker or heater may be operated by both the heel and toe action of theplayer.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved operator ofthis kind which can readily be adapted to operating cymbals or otherinstruments of like character.

A further object of this invention is to provide an operator of thiskind which can be readily connected with a drum or other musicalinstrument. A further object of this invention is to provide an operatorof thi kind which is simple in construction so that it can bemanufactured at relatively small cost and will not get out of orderunder hard usage.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation of an operator constructedaccording to an embodiment of this invention connected with a pair ofcymbals,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the device,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 ofFigure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line ll of Figure3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure3,

Figure 6 is a detailed side elevation of a modiiied form of thisinvention connected with a drum which is partly broken away,

Figure l is a plan View of the device shown in Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line '88 of Figure6.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates generally a base,which in the present instance is of rectangular configuration. The baseill has extending upwardly from one side thereof, substantially midwaybetween the ends a tubular guide and cymbal support H.

The support I l includes an ofiset lower portion l2 and an elongatedsliding rod I4 is slidable through the tubular support and along theoffset member l2. A lower cymbal i is secured tothe upper end of thestationary member H and an upper cymbal member i6 is secured to theupper end of the rod or slide member I4.

A pair of elongated links H and I8 are pivotally connected together on apivot I!) which extends through a fork 2t fixedly carried by the lowerend of the slide rod M. The outer end of the link H is formed with anlelongated slot 2| through which a pivot pin 22 engages, the pin 22 beingcarried by an upstanding support 23 which is fixed to the base It).

The link it is provided with an elongated slot 24 through which a pivotpin 25 extends and the pin 25 is carried by an upwardly extending link26 which is pivoted at 21 to the base II].

An elongated bowed spring 28 is disposed below the fork 2t and the jointbetween the adjacent ends of the link I! and I8, and is secured as at 29to the adjacent edge of the base [0. The spring 28 is adapted toconstantly urge the slide rod l4 upwardly so as to maintain the uppercymbal member 16 in spaced relation to the lower cymbal member l5.

An operating pedal generally designated as 30 is rockably carried by thebase l0, being rockably mounted on a transversely extending pivot bolt3! which engages through openings 32 and 33 carried by the supportingmember [2 and a laterally disposed supporting member 34 respectively.

The pedal til is provided in one edge thereof with a series of spacedopenings 35 and 36 adjacent the opposite ends thereof in selected onesof which laterally projecting pins 3'! and 38 respectively are adaptedto engage. The pins 31 and 38 extend over the upper edges of the linksI! and I 8 so that vertical rocking of the pedal 36 will effect downwardrocking of the links H and I8.

A heel plate 39 is secured to one end of the pedal 30, being formed witha pair of threaded studs 40 which engage through selected pairs ofopenings 4! formed in the pedal 30. The heel plate 39 includes anupwardly extending flange 42 against which the heel of the player isadapted to engage for holding the foot against rearward movement on thepedal 30.

In order to provide for holding the base l0 against tilting or rocking,the base adjacent one end thereof is provided with a pair of lateralextending base extension rods 43 which are threaded as at 44 into theopposite edges of the base It.

Referring now to Figures 6, '7 and 8, there is disclosed a slightlymodified form of this invention. A base Ilia is provided which issimilar to the base [0, but is formed with an extension 45 extendingfrom one end thereof which forms a rest for at least an edge of a drumD. The rim 46 of the drum which clamps the head on one side thereof isclamped to the base extension 45 by means of a clamping bar 4'! throughwhich a thumb bolt 48 engages.

The base Illa has disposed adjacent one edge thereof a pair of rockablelinks Na and 18a. similar .to the links H and I8, and the links Ila andH311 are rockably carried by upstanding supports 23a and 25a. The innerends of the links Ila and [8a are pivotally connected to a verticalslide rod Ma which is slidable in a tubular guide I la extendingupwardly from the base and carried by an upstanding support 82a.

A striker or beater 49 is fixed to a shaft 58 which is journaled betweena pair of upstanding bearings carried by the base extension 45. Thestriker 49 is constantly urged to inoperative position with respect tothe adjacent head of the drum D by means of a spring 52 which is fixedat its upper end to a downwardly extending arm 53 carried by the striker49 and fixed at its lower end to the base extension 45.

A crank arm 54 is fixed to the shaft 5!! at one end thereof and isadapted when the striker or beater 49 is in inoperative position, to bedisposed in a horizontal position as shown in Figure 6. The arm 54 hasconnected thereto one end of an elongated lever 55 which is pivotallymounted between the ends thereof on an upstanding supporting bar 56pivotally engaged at one end to base Illa.

The lever 55 at its outer end is formed with an elongated slot 51through which a pivot pin 58 extends. Slot and pin connection isprovided between the outer end of the lever 55 and the crank arm 54. Theinner end of the lever 55 is pivotally connected as at 58 to the upperend of the slide rod I 4a.

A pedal 30a similar to the pedal 30 is rockably carried by the base aand is provided with a pair of laterally projecting pins 31a and 38awhich engage the upper edges of the links Ha and [8a.

The heel plate 39a is adjustably secured on the upper side of the pedala in the same manner as the heel plate 39 is secured to the pedal 30.

In order to provide for vertical adjustment of the pedal 30, theunderside of the pedal is formed with a depending, transversely disposedrib 65 which is formed with a series of vertically spaced openings Blthrough a selected one of which the pivot bolt 3| is adapted to engage.

In the use and operation of this device, the instrument comprising thecymbals I5 and I6 is secured to the fixed support H and the movable rod[4 respectively. The operator will place one foot on the pedal 30 androcking of this pedal in either direction will cause either pin 31 orpin 38 to depress the links I! and I8 and move slide rod 14 downwardlyagainst the tension of the spring 28.

The rocking of the pedal 30 can be effected by first heel and toepressure on the pedal so that the slide member l4 may be verticallyreciprocated at the desired rate.

Where the operator is for use with a drum, the beater for the drum isconnected with the upper rock lever and the drum clamped to the forwardend of the base extension 45. The beater 49 is reciprocated in the samemanner as the slide rod 20 was reciprocated by rocking the 4 beater 30aeither from the rear or from the front or alternately from the rear andthe front.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An instrument beater operator comprising a base, a pedal above saidbase, means rockably supporting said pedal midway of the ends of thelatter, a pair of vertically rockable links, means rockably supportingthe outer ends of said links at one side of said base, a verticallydisposed tubular guide fixedly carried by said one side of said base, aslide rod engaging said guide, means pivotally connecting said rod andthe inner ends of said links together whereby vertical rocking of saidlinks will effect vertical movement of said rod, means securing onemember of an instru ment to said guide, means securing another member ofan instrument to said rod, a spring carried by said base constantlyurging said rod upwardly to dispose said instrument members in spacedrelation, and laterally projecting pins carried by an edge of said pedalengaging the upper edges of said links whereby rocking of said pedalfrom either end thereof will effect vertical rocking of said links andvertical movement of said rod.

2. An instrument beater operator comprising an elongated base, meansclamping an instrument to one end of said base, a beater for saidinstrument, means rockably supporting said beater from said base, aspring constantly urging said beater to inoperative position, saidbeater including a horizontally disposed shaft, a crank arm fixed to oneend of said shaft, a pedal rockably carried by said base, a pair ofelongated links. means rockably mounting the outer ends of said links onsaid base, a vertically disposed guide carried by said base, a slide rodengaging said guide, means securing the lower end of said rod to theinner ends of said links, an elongated rock lever, means rockablysupporting said lever above said base, means pivotally connecting theouter end of said lever to said crank arm, means pivotally connectingthe inner end of said rock lever to said rod, and laterally projectingmeans carried by said pedal overlying said links whereby rocking of saidpedal from either end thereof will effect downward rocking of said linksand corresponding forward rocking of said beater.

3. A foot actuated operator for percussion musical instrumentscomprising an elongated base, a guide upstanding from said base adjacentthe mid-length location of the latter, an operating rod slidablysupported by said guide, a foot pedal pivotally mounted intermediate itslength on said base near the mid-length location of the latter forrocking movement in both directions about such pivotal connection, apair of links extending along one side of said base with their proximalends pivotally interconnected and pivotally connected to the lower endof said operating rod, upstanding supports at the opposite ends of saidbase pivotally connected at their upper ends to distal ends ofrespective links, resilient means supported on said base urging saidoperating rod upwardly, and means carried by said foot pedal near theopposite ends of the latter and respectively engageable with said linksto depress said links and move said operating rod downwardly uponrocking movement of said pedal in either direction relative to saidbase.

4. A foot actuated operator for percussion musical instrumentscomprising an elongated base, a guide upstanding from said base adjacentthe mid-length location of the latter, an operating rod slidablysupported by said guide, a foot pedal pivotally mounted intermediate itslength on said base near the mid-length location of the latter forrocking movement in both directions about such pivotal connection, apair of links extending along one side of said base with their proximalends pivotally interconnected and pivotally connected to the lower endof said operating rod, upstanding supports at the opposite ends of saidbase pivotally connected at their upper ends to distal ends ofrespective links, resilient means supported on said base urging saidoperating rod upwardly, and means carried by said foot pedal near theopposite ends of the latter and respectively engageable with said linksto depress said links and move said operating rod downwardly uponrocking movement of said pedal in either direction relative to saidbase, said guide means comprising a tubular portion disposed above saidlinks and slidably receiving said operating rod, and an offset portionextending from the lower end of said tubular portion to said base.

5. A foot actuated operator for percussion musical instrumentscomprising an elongated base, a guide upstanding from said base adjacentthe mid-length location of the latter, an operating rod slidablysupported by said guide, a foot pedal pivotally mounted intermediate itslength on said base near the mid-length location of the latter forrocking movement in both directions about such pivotal connection, apair of links extending along one side of said base with their proximalends pivotally interconnected and pivotally connected to the lower endof said operating rod, upstanding supports at the opposite ends of saidbase pivotally connected at their upper ends to distal ends ofrespective links, resilient means supported on said base urging saidoperating rod upwardly, means carried by said foot pedal near theopposite ends of the latter and respectively engageable with said linksto depress said links and move said operating rod downwardly uponrocking movement of said pedal in either direction relative to saidbase, and an extension rod detachably secured at one end to said base atone side of the latter and projecting outwardly of said basesubstantially perpendicular to said one side to increase the stabilityof said operator.

6. A foot actuated operator for percussion musical instrumentscomprising an elongated base, a guide upstanding from said base adjacentthe mid-length location of the latter, an operating rod slidablysupported by said guide, a foot pedal pivotally mounted intermediat itslength on said base near the mid-length location of the latter forrocking movement in both directions about such pivotal connection, apair of links extending along one side of said base with their proximalends pivotally interconnected and pivotally connected to the lower endof said operating rod, upstanding supports at the opposite ends of saidbase pivotally connected at their upper ends to distal ends ofrespective links, resilient means supported on said base urging saidoperating rod upwardly, means carried by said foot pedal near theopposite ends of the latter and respectively engageable with said linksto depress said links and move said operating rod downwardly uponrocking movement of said pedal in either direction relative to saidbase, means on said base near one end of the latter for securing aninstrument thereto, a striker pivotally mounted on said base adjacentsaid instrument securing means, and means pivotally supported on saidbase connecting said operating rod to said striker to move said strikertoward an instrument secured to said base when said operating rod ismoved downwardly by said foot pedal.

7. A foot actuated operator for percussion musical instrumentscomprising an elongated base, a guide upstanding from said base adjacentthe mid-length location of the latter, an operating rod slidablysupported by said guide, a foot pedal pivotally mounted intermediate itslength on said base near the mid-length location of the latter forrocking movement in both directions about such pivotal connection, apair of links extending along one side of said base with their proximalends pivotally interconnected and pivotally connected to the lower endof said operating rod, upstanding supports at the opposite ends of saidbase pivotally connected at their upper ends to distal ends ofrespective links, resilient means supported on said base urging saidoperating rod upwardly, means carried by said foot pedal near theopposite ends of the latter and respectively engageable with said linksto depress said links and move said operating rod downwardly uponrocking movement of said pedal in either direction relative to saidbase, said guide means com- 4 prising a tubular portion disposed abovesaid links and slidably receiving said operating rod and an ofisetportion extending from the lower end of said tubular portion to saidbase, said tubular guide portion being engageable at its upper end witha lower instrument component and said operating rod being engageable atits upper end with an upper instrument component and efiective to movesuch upper instrument component to strike the lower instrument componentof such instrument upon downward movement of said operating rod by saidfoot pedal.

EMERY DEZSO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,154,121 Kendrick Sept. 21, 19152,417,972 DArcy Mar. 25, 1947

